Hey, I hit 50,194 words for NaNoWriMo today! The novel still needs work, of course, but I’ve reached my November target. Now I can concentrate on shaping the story… after a little break to celebrate:)
For those of you still at it, keep going!
Posts Tagged ‘Writers’
Seeing Daylight
Posted in Writing, tagged awesome, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, nanowrimo, persistence, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, work, Writers, writing, yay on November 25, 2014| 2 Comments »
Shake Hands with the Unknown
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, books, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, The Atlantic, Thoughts, William Gibson, Writers, writing on November 24, 2014| 1 Comment »
What draws a reader into a book? What breaks their connection with the material world and plugs the brain into an alternative dimension? Sure, cover design, a known author and positive publicity blurbs all have something to do with it, but as speculative fictioneer William Gibson argues in The Atlantic, the first sentence is what invites you in.
The First Sentence Is a Handshake – The Atlantic
For William Gibson, author of The Peripheral, a kind of invitation is extended—and readers will or won’t feel what he calls “the click.” But it’s not just about connecting with an audience. In a conversation for this series, Gibson explained how first sentences invite the writer, too: they contain a blueprint for the book that will be written.
I don’t write the way Gibson does, laboring over the first line until it is worthy of the effort the rest of the book will take, but I do go back to it and rewrite. Ahem. A lot.
The article is full of interesting thoughts from the man who coined the term “cyberspace.” For more on Gibson’s method, his views on the proper balance between mystery and clarity, and a discussion of his newest book, The Peripheral, check out the full article at The Atlantic.
Ursula Le Guin Steals The Show
Posted in Writing, tagged amazon, arts, books, fantasy and science fiction, genre fiction, Hachette, literature, National Book Awards, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin, Writers, writing on November 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »
At the National Book Awards yesterday, our Lady Le Guin accepted an award for distinguished contribution to American letters. In her acceptance speech she went to bat for speculative fiction writers in particular. See this link from Parker Higgins for the full text of the speech.
As NPR reports:
“I rejoice in accepting [this prize] for, and sharing it with, all the writers who were excluded from literature for so long: my fellow authors of fantasy and science fiction,” Le Guin said.
She also had some choice words on the recent Amazon-Hachette battle over pricing:
“We just saw a profiteer try to punish a publisher for disobedience, and writers threatened by corporate fatwa,” she said. “And I see a lot of us, the producers, accepting this — letting commodity profiteers sell us like deodorant!”
It just goes to show that writers tend to be anything but boring. Especially writers of science fiction and fantasy.
[Edited to add speech text and video links.]
Bad Writing Advice Explained
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, Martian Ballet, Mary Robinette Kowal, pithy advice, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on November 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Mary Robinette Kowal, that font of wisdom and Regency fashion tips, has a nice column on bad writing advice.
There’s a bunch of aphorisms about writing that started as good, pithy advice in part of someone’s lecture. Then they got pulled out of context and then misapplied.
Mary breaks down the standards that every beginning writer hears and talks about what they really mean, and when they are useful (spoiler: not always!). Write what you know, show don’t tell, raise the stakes, and kill your darlings, all so often repeated as gospel.
If you’ve ever tried to merge the advice to “write what you know” with the burning desire to write about Martian ballerinas and the prospectors who love them, well, fellow speculators, this is for you.
/totally going off to write a story about Martian ballet… right after I finish my novel!
Goodbye, Fall
Posted in Writing, tagged Fiction, home, John Steinbeck, nanowrimo, quotes, snow, winter, Writers, writing on November 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I’ve got inches of thick wet snow on my porch and the last of the red maple leaves have finally fallen. It is officially winter.
What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.
― John Steinbeck
And really, what better weather for novel writing? Time to get back to it!
How Do People Get New Ideas?
Posted in Writing, tagged arts, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, Isaac Asimov, literature, MIT’s Technology Review, nanowrimo, science, science fiction, sff, speculative fiction, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on November 14, 2014| 2 Comments »
Like many of you I’m doing NaNoWriMo and as such I am more than usually interested in questions of creativity and how to help it along. The following is from an essay in MIT’s Technology Review by Isaac Asimov, in which he asks that most fundamental of questions, “How Do People Get New Ideas?”
… what is needed is not only people with a good background in a particular field, but also people capable of making a connection between item 1 and item 2 which might not ordinarily seem connected… Making the cross-connection requires a certain daring.
And so to you I say (with a nod to Theodore Roosevelt), dare greatly!
I’m Doing It. Are You?
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, Fiction, finishing, fun, genre fiction, inspiration, Motivation, nanowrimo, National Novel Writing Month, persistence, work, Writers, writing on November 10, 2014| 1 Comment »
I haven’t posted anything about National Novel Writing Month this year because I hadn’t quite decided whether or not to do it. I’m busy, I said. I’ve already proven I can churn out 50,000 words in thirty days, I said. I can do it when I’m happy. I can do it when I’m busy. I can do it when I’m sick. (I am, in fact, something of a freaking Dr. Seuss when it comes to NaNoWriMo.) Do I really need to prove that I can do it again? Would my time be better spent finding a new way to expand my writing experience?
Well, no. That’s what I decided. And when I committed to finding a new way to make the most of my 50,000 words this November, I had a mini breakthrough. Work on one thing, I told myself. Well, ok, work on 50,000 words and one other thing. That’s it. Practice high levels of word production while learning how to do better at *X* and see how that goes.
Turns out it’s going pretty well.
I’m traveling, and finding time to get my word count in has been a challenge. That’s ok. In fact, that’s a great part of this lesson. It is in fact possible to cram in that last 350 words in the ten minutes before dinner. Doing it while also remembering to focus on maximizing the conflict between your characters?
Priceless:)
Happy National Novel Writing Month, all!
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too… Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
― William Hutchison Murray
Bootstrapping A Solar System Civilization
Posted in Science!, tagged creativity, future of civilization, inspiration, io9, Office of Science and Technology Policy, rocket science, science, science fiction, space, space exploration, Writers on October 27, 2014| Leave a Comment »
via io9, a call for creative new ways to get the heck off this rock:
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is planning ahead — way ahead. The agency wants you to email ideas for how “the Administration, the private sector, philanthropists, the research community and storytellers” can develop “massless” space exploration and a robust civilization beyond Earth.
Tell me that this challenge isn’t exactly in our wheelhouse, people. Hard sci-fi writers, mechanical and other engineers, and practical dreamers of all stripes, your skills are needed!
James Ellroy on Writing
Posted in Writing, tagged artists, books, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, James Ellroy, Writers, writing on October 16, 2014| Leave a Comment »
If you’ve ever wondered how master writer James Ellroy puts together a dark, twisting crime novel, or plots stories as deliciously complex as L.A. Confidential, wonder no more.
“I’m a romantic, I love the big challenge and I’m gonna give it to you.”
This Fast Company article by Joe Berkowitz discusses Ellroy’s style (right now), his process (research, let it simmer, then go big, really big), and finally, bring it all together in a tight-packed ending. Enjoy!
-
Recent Posts
She Said, He Said
-
-
Favorite Posts
Archives
Categories
It’s All So Random
What I’m Reading
You must be logged in to post a comment.